As disclosed in the following three references:
1. Gruntzig, A.: Die perkutane transluminale Rekanalisation chronischer Arterienverschlusse mit einer neuen Dilationstechnik; p. 50. Baden-Baden, 1977. PA1 2. Gruntzig, A., H. H. Riedhammer, M. Turina, Rutishauer W. Verh. Dtsch. Ges. Kreislaufforschg. 1976, 42 282. PA1 3. Gruntzig, A., R. Myler, E. Hanna, Turina M. Abstracts Circulation. 1977 56 84.
a technique has been developed for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. This technique consists of a catheter system introduced via the femoral artery under local anesthesia. A preshaped guiding catheter is positioned into the orifice of the coronary artery and through this catheter a second dilation catheter is advanced into the branches of the coronary artery. The dilation catheter has an elliptical-shaped distensible balloon portion near the tip which can be inflated and deflated. After traversing the stenotic lesion of the coronary artery, the distensible portion is inflated with fluid which compresses the atherosclerotic material in a direction generally perpendicular to the wall of the vessel thereby dilating the lumen of the vessel. Peripheral arterial lesions treated by this technique have demonstrated by morphological studies that the atheroma can be compressed leaving a smooth luminal surface noted at the time of restudy. The patency rate two years following dilation of iliac and femoropopliteal atherosclerotic lesions was greater than 70%. The continued success of this technique could greatly widen the horizons for coronary angiography and provide another treatment for patients with angina pectoris.
The guiding and dilating catheters utilized by Gruntzig in this work have been more or less hand made. They have been difficult and expensive to fabricate and for that reason it has been very difficult to obtain an adequate supply of the same. There is therefore a need for a new and improved guiding and dilation catheters and methods for making the same.